Japanese 'bilk' the cow for beer

A brewery in Japan launched production of unusual beer from cow's milk on a tip from a local dairy farmer who was looking for ways to put his milk surpluses to good use.

Beer brewed from cow's milk will be available in the store shelves Thursday, in the Japanese city of Nakashibetsu, on the country's northern-most island of Hokkaido.

The production technology for "bilk" (the name combines the English words "beer" and "milk") does not differ much from those used in brewing conventional beers. The only difficulty is that unlike water, milk must be heated using hot air rather than flame, given its low boiling temperature.

Except for milk, the new beverage contains the same ingredients as lager or ale, and it looks like regular filtered beer after fermentation. But, as the producers say, it tastes fruity and has a distinctive aftertaste.

The new brew will be sold in small 0.33 litre bottles, and will cost about ¥380 (about $3).